2018 Ford Mustang revealed

Brains to match its brawn, that's the idea behind the next-generation Ford Mustang.

Set to arrive locally in 2018, Ford's upgraded performance car is set to be the most technologically advanced car in its class, giving the brand a cut-price alternative to European coupes such as the BMW M4. 

Building on the platform offered by the current coupe and convertible, the new model is set to offer a customisable 12-inch fully digital display to rival the Audi TT, as well as personalised driving modes similar to those used in European performance cars.

Those settings will direct key hardware elements including a new 10-speed automatic transmission and multi-mode magnetically adjustable suspension that could transform the way Ford's pony car drives.

The blue oval has beefed up suspension bracing, shock absorbers and anti--roll bars across the range, and added a new active exhaust system similar to the bi-modal setup used by local HSV products.

While Ford won't say how much power the new car produces, it says the Mustang GT's 5.0-litre V8 has been "thoroughly reworked" to produce higher numbers, thanks in part to the addition of a new fuelling system blending high-pressure direct injection and and low-pressure port injection for optimum torque and efficiency.

An upgraded safety suite featuring autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection systems as well as lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning systems is set to join the fray, and Ford has promised to lift the standard of its interior presentation with "a more premium look and feel".

The new car also features revised styling with new headlamps and smoothed front bumpers joining a ventilated bonnet that no longer features a pronounced power dome.

Full prices and specifications will be confirmed closer to the model's local launch date.

• For all the latest info, visit our Ford showroom.